Children and fools speak the truth.

People who have not learned, or do not follow, the usual rules of tact may say aloud what others hesitate to acknowledge. Their lack of restraint can make an uncomfortable observation hard to ignore.

The proverb draws a contrast between candour and social caution. It suggests that a blunt remark may be revealing, not that the person making it is always right.

Use it when a child or an unusually unguarded speaker voices an observation that others have avoided saying. It can acknowledge the force of the remark without endorsing every claim the speaker makes.